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1950 Monaco Grand Prix
The 1950 Monaco Grand Prix was the second race of the inaugural Formula One World Championship in . The 100-lap race took place on May 21 1950 and was won by Juan Manuel Fangio from lights to flag. Fangio also set the fastest lap, thus completing the first hat-trick in Formula One history. Background Alfa Romeo were back with their standard squad of Farina, Fagioli and Fangio while a new constructor entered the grid for Round 2 of the 1950 Formula One Season at the glamorous Monaco Grand Prix, the Ferrari team ran by Enzo Ferrari the former Alfa Romeo Principal in the 30s who lead the team to greatness. Now with his own team Ferrari was expected to be the biggest threat to the dominant Alfas. Italians Alberto Ascari and Luigi Villoresi and Frenchman Raymond Sommer were the men chosen to tackle the mighty Alfas. A private Ferrari for Peter Whitehead was also entered. The Simca-Gordinis run by Amédée Gordini also made their début at Monaco with the two frenchman Robert Manzon and Maurice Trintignant at the wheel. The Cooper team ran by Charles Cooper and John Cooper made a one off appearance in Monaco with American Harry Schell at the wheel in an unusual rear engined car which at the time was very rare and unpopular. Yves Giraud-Cabantous was by himself at the works Talbot-Lago team as teammate Eugène Martin was participating at a bike race. Charles Pozzi joined Louis Rosier at the Ecurie Rosier Lago-Talbot team. The works Maserati team entered Franco Rol to partner Louis Chiron for the rest of the season. Scuderia Achille Vazzi made their debut with Maserati cars with José Froilán González and Alfredo Piàn at the wheel. Qualifying Qualifying Report Qualifying was wet at the first Monaco Grand Prix and Alfredo Piàn crashed his car heavily during the session and was unable to participate in the race. Juan Manuel Fangio to took pole ahead of Farina and an impressive José Froilán González in a Maserati racing for Scuderia Achille Vazzi who prevailed in the wet where teammate Piàn did not. The private Talbot-Lago of Étancelin was 4th with Fagioli 5th and the Ferraris of Villoresi and Ascari started 6th and 7th with Sommer down in 9th. Qualifying Results Grid Race Report In the morning before the race it rained heavily but luckily before the race started the clouds went away, however they still left a very wet track. Peter Whitehead's private Ferrari failed to start the race due to engine issues that had troubled him all weekend. At the start Fangio got away well but Farina spun at the first corner and was hit by González who in turn was rammed up the back by Fagioli. This soon caused a multiple car pile-up with González, Farina, Fagioli, Rosier, Manzon, de Graffenried, Trintignant, Harrison, Rol and Schell all retiring. Most got away unscathed but González had had oil spilt over him in the accident which badly burned him and would keep him out for the next couple of races. Franco Rol also was injured and suffered a broken wrist which would put him out of contention for awhile as well. Only 9 cars survived the incident and Ferrari was the only team to not lose at least one car in the first lap incident, Villoresi and Ascari quickly overtook Philippe Étançelin for third and the two began a hard battle for second. Étançelin retired later with an oil leak, this paved the way for the third Ferrari of Sommer to take fourth place behind his two teammates but was under pressure from local driver and racing veteran Louis Chiron. Luigi Villoresi's strong day came to a sad end when his axle broke leaving second place open to Ascari, after a long hard battle Louis Chiron finally managed to get his Maserati past Sommer and move into third place where he stayed for the remainder of the Grand Prix and took a podium finish in front of his home crowd. The race however was dominated by Fangio who saw absolutely no challenge from any of his rivals with his teammates being taken out on the first lap and showed Ferrari had work to do if they were going to catch the Alfas. Results Fastest Laps Lap Leaders Lap-by-lap Total Standings Drivers Championship only Milestones * Juan Manuel Fangio's first pole position, victory, fastest lap, double, hat-trick and Grand Chelem. * First Formula One grand chelem. * Débuts for drivers Alberto Ascari, Raymond Sommer, Robert Manzon, Luigi Villoresi, Harry Schell, José Froilán González, Maurice Trintignant and Franco Rol. * Débuts for constructors Ferrari, Simca Gordini and Cooper * Début for engine manufacturers Ferrari, Simca Gordini and JAP. * First entry for Peter Whitehead, Charles Pozzi, Pierre Levegh, Clemente Biondetti and Alfredo Pián, * Alfredo Piàn's only entry. Category:1950 Grands Prix Category:Monaco Grand Prix